Hoses that expand under fluid pressure longitudinally along their length multiple times as compared to the length of the hose in an unpressurized or contracted state are popular for various reasons including, but not limited to, light weight construction and ease of storage when not in use.
Such hoses are commercially available from a number of sources. The hoses are also described in various patents and publications, see for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,948,527; 7,549,448; 8,371,143; 8,776,836; 8,291,942; 8,479,776; 8,757,213; as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2014/0150889; and 2014/0130930.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0007902 relates to a retractable pressure hose which comprises an inlet connector, an outlet connector, an inner elastic tube, an outer cover, and a lubricant disposed to reduce chafing between the inner elastic tube and the outer cover. In such a hose, the lubricant can comprise a solid lubricant such as paraffin wax or other slippery solids, a liquid lubricant such as olive oil or other slippery liquids, or a combination of solid and/or liquid lubricants.
A problem with some of the length expandable hoses is that they can kink, bulge, fail and/or exhibit leakage, at one or more points along their length, for example at a connection point to a coupler or fitting at the end of the hose, after a number of expansion and contraction cycles.
Still another problem of the present invention is the need for a hose assembly having a hose-to-coupler connection exhibiting desirable bite-through or cut resistance, as some hoses in the art have been known to fail when the hose end is attached to the coupler.